Topweight Monton is rated a longshot to win his second Group 2 $175,000 Inglis Villiers (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Monton is a longshot to win his second Villiers at Randwick, Photo by Steve Hart.
Monton took out the 2011 Villiers with Hugh Bowman in the saddle and Saturday will be fourth appearance in the Randwick Summer Feature Mile after finishing ninth in 2012 and fourth last year when it was run on the Kensington track over 1550m.
The eight year old gelding has been marked as one of the outsiders at $21 for the Villiers with Ladbrokes.com.au following his below par performance last start when eleventh to I’m Imposing in the Listed $100,000 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on November 29.
But trainer Ron Quinton is willing to forgive the run after Sam Clipperton had to ease Monton back to last after coming off a wide barrier.
“I think you can just put the pen through his effort,” Quinton told Racing Network.
“It all just worked out badly from his wide barrier, he kept having to go further and further back and he doesn’t like racing that way.
“It was nothing against how Sam rode him, it was just circumstances.”
Quinton added that when Monton is ridden in that manner he loses interest and he expects him to be in closer contention with Clipperton again from barrier five on Saturday.
“When he races that far back in a field like he did, he basically doesn’t want to compete,” Quinton said.
“He’s an eight-year-old and he’s quite clever and each time the old horse has been ridden back too far he just says ‘ well what do you want me to do’.”
Prior to his disappointing effort in the Festival Stakes, Monton’s form had been good carrying big weights with two seconds and a win.
With 58kgs on his back, Monton ran a gallant second with apprentice Taylor Marshal in a 1400m Handicap at Randwick on October 11 and with the help of Marshall’s claim again the old stager was able to return to the winner’s stall with 58.5kgs over 1500m at Rosehill on October 25.
Quinton then took Monton to Hawkesbury for the Listed $100,000 Lander Toyota Ladies Day Cup (1400m) at Hawkesbury on November 6 where he humped 61.5kgs when second to the Chris Waller trained Strawberry Boy.
Strawberry Boy is one of the early fancies for the Villiers and is marked at $5.50 behind the handy Queensland miler Sir Moments who heads the market order at $4.80.
The Gold Coast trained Rudy is next in the betting at $7 with Rose Of Choice at $7.50, Estonian Princess at $8 and I’m Imposing at $9.
